Indirect measurement of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in congestive cardiomyopathy and constrictive pericarditis

Pulmonary artery diastolic and pulmonary capillary wedge mean pressures were measured in 30 patients with congestive cardiomyopathy and in 30 patients with constrictive pericarditis. These measurements were compared with left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) to assess their value as indirect measurements of left ventricular function. There was close correlation between the indirect measurements and LVEDP in both disorders: a better statistical correlation was achieved using a power curve than with linear regression, since pulmonary artery diastolic pressure increased disproportionately when LVEDP was high.S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 540 (1974)